Improvement in coffins and caskets



UNITED NSTATES PATENT EEIoE.AA

`LEWIS W. BRAKE, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COFFINS AN D CASKETS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No.1197,968, dated December 11, 1 877; application led October 12, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern: i

Be it known that I, LEwIs W. DRAKE, of Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Coin and Casket, of which the following is a specication:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l' represents a detail horizontal section of a cofiin or casket with my improved corner-piece,

and Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-` sponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a new construction of corner pieces for coiins or caskets, by which a more ornamental form and finish may be given to them, and a stronger and superior joint of the corners with the ends and sides be obtained. I

The invention consists of a coffin or casket whose ends and sides are connected by intermediate corner-pieces, placed at obtuse angles thereto, which corner-pieces are made with v semicircular side beads, and the joints with the ends and sides obtained by interlocking tongues and grooves oi' a peculiar form, as

will be more fully described hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the end, and B one of the sides, of a coflin orV casket. These ends and sides are connected Vby a cornerpiece, C, which is jointed to the ends and sides at the usual angle, and made at the outside with a curved middle portion, a, and with semicircular side beads b. The corner-pieceGis made of inch lumber, whether intended for a large or small coffin, and retains, when the outer shape is given, even at the weakest points, the same thickness as the y end pieces or sides of the coflin from the inner edges of the same, in line with the inner face of the corner-piece, the other sides f the grooves being made parallel to the outer face of the ends or sides, so as to form tongues e,

' that tit accurately into the grooves d of the corner-piece. The interlocking of the tapering tongues of the corner-piece, and the tapering and rectangular tongues of the sides, form strong joints of the parts, that are finished at the outside by the overlapping beads.

This peculiar joint has the advantage of facilitating the nailing and gluing together of the parts, which nailing and gluing are done in quick and effective manner, by setting a block against the bead and driving the cor: ners together.v The projecting beads of the corner-piece also receive the base-molding running around the bottom edge and top bead of coiiins and caskets.

The corner piece admits the finishing of the box part of the coflin in superior manner, v to which box part the bottom is then attached, While in the present mode of constructing cofns the ends and sides have to be nailed to the bottom first, and the corners then driven in afterward, which does not allow as nice n ish, and requires the use of iron staples or stays, which are wholly dispensed with in my construction.

As the corner-pieces may be made of inch stuff, they produce a saying in material, while the double interlocking joints are strong and reliable.

When the coffin is finished by sandpapering, varnishing, and rubbing, the corners present a superior ornamental appearance by the beads, which obviate also the necessity of continuing the base around the corners, as it may be terminated at the beads. The beads allow also of any ornamental trimmings, such as studs, stars, 85e., and improve the shape of the coflin or casket jointly with strengthening the same.

By the relative arrangement of the beadrb and the rectangularv joint, the tie-nail may be made to pass through the bead, and into the middle of, as well as in line with, the tenOn, thus securing a very rm and reliable hold.

The corner piece C, having external end beads b b and rectangular end grooves d d, the latter being between angular tongues d d',

' as shown and described, for the purpose specilied.

LEWIS WESLEY DRAKE.

Witnesses CEAS. F. HILL, C. BAcHr/LAN. 

